Chicken and Chorizo

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Chicken and Chorizo one-pot dish is really good! It’s full of flavor and not a lot of work. It’s perfect when you’re busy entertaining guests but you want a nice meal when you’re all hungry.

John’s sister is visiting with her grandson Sam and everyone is having the best time with the 1-year old, especially the dog.

Today we went to see John’s mother at the nursing home and if you’ve never experienced dementia or Alzheimer’s which is a form of dementia, here’s what it’s like.

Joan was a fiercely independent woman. She started teaching school in a one-room school when she was only 16 and worked hard all her life and raised 3 children. When Rob went to Paris on sabbatical, Joan decided she wanted to buy some land near the snow fields and build a house. 40 years ago, women belonged to their husbands and no bank would give her a loan to a married woman. “Come back with hubby, dear,” she got from her banker. She didn’t give up and she got her land and her house and was probably one of the first women in Melbourne to do so.

Fast forward many years and she’s in a nursing home suffering severe dementia. She still knows who we are, although sometimes I’m “that nice woman” and sometimes I’m her daughter but most of the time she knows it’s me. She doesn’t confuse me with her daughter but sometimes thinks I am another daughter. Lots of people are called Thingamy because names are long gone. Lots of conversations are done in charades. For instance, if she can’t remember the word comb she acts it out. Imagine the day she was shopping with me and tried to ask the sales clerk for some tights.

Sometimes she dances around the room with a twinkle in her eye.

As the months go by, there’s less and less of the mother John and his brother and sister grew up with. It’s sad but it is what it is and we do the best we can to make life easy for her. We don’t ask her any questions because it’s too stressful to find an answer to a question she’s forgotten already. We don’t ask what she had for breakfast because she’ll tell us she hasn’t eaten since she moved there a year ago. When we talk, we talk about the past. She remembers holidays from years ago that we spent together in Europe and the US so that’s always good to get her out of a bad mood.

She uses anger to push us away when things get overwhelming. If she’s angry, she has an excuse for being forgetful I guess.

Her favorite outing is to go to a park or the beach where she can watch children playing. She gets such joy out of that and she’ll talk to as many of them as she can. She must have been a wonderful teacher.

Recently I was scolded by someone for laughing at her antics but honestly, how could anyone cope without laughter? We could be sad at her deterioration or we can laugh at the silly things she does. Is it really funny? In one sense, no because she’s demonstrating that she can no longer do the things we all assume we can do for ourselves.

Cathy found her mother in her bathroom trying to put her pants on over her head with her arms through the leg holes and her head stuck in the crotch. Okay, I laughed. The old Joan would laugh too.

Today when I went in, one of her carers took me aside and said, “If you’re looking for the nail polish, it’s at the nurses station.” I knew by the twinkle in his eye that there was a story and he said, “She painted her nails last night.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, she started at at one end of her fingers and went to her fingernails,” he said and he chuckled.

I roared and he said, “Oh wait, it doesn’t end there.”

I groaned because I thought she’d painted the wall or dropped it on the carpet or bedspread. Nothing that simple. She’d painted her hands with so many coats of nail polish that she’d stuck her fingers together.

Later she told me about it and showed me her nails – one hand with red nails and the other with tan. I grinned and said, “Did you get any on your fingers?”

She giggled and said, “I stuck my whole hand together!”

She remembered that!

Dementia is a nasty disease and it sucks but it’s not one you should fear if it happens to someone you love. We’re getting through one day at a time. I thought a long time about sharing Joan’s story but I felt it was important. Now enjoy some chicken!

I saw Nagi’s One Pan Spanish Chicken with Chorizo, tomato and Potatoes and I thought it looked so good, I’d try it myself. I didn’t want to copy hers so I read her post but didn’t print the recipe. I had some skinless chicken thighs and only one chorizo so already my recipe was different. The oldies can’t eat really hot food so I didn’t add anything spicier than the chorizo.

I started out by frying the chorizo to release some of its oil and then in the oil I sauteed the green and red bell peppers/capsicum, baby onions and then the mushrooms. I seared the chicken in the last bit of oil and put it all together with the remaining ingredients in a casserole. I listened to someone else and covered it for 30 minutes and that was not the thing to do. Cook it loud and proud with no cover. An hour later and we were all saying how good it was.

What a great meal! Thanks so much for sharing your story. Lots of people are going to benefit from this. Personally I believe that laughter is the best medicine. If it was me, I ‘d rather have my family laughing with me than crying for me. Oh. I did make chorizo this week. Now I just have to add the chicken. LOL!

My dear grandmother suffered from something; at that time no one had used the word Alzheimers; it was simply dementia or even just credited to old age. She did make us laugh and she knew it and would laugh with us. Of course she made me laugh no matter. She loved beer but not a lot at one time. It wasn’t even dementia that had her open a can and then take a sip or two each day at lunch. She just liked it that way. That made me chuckle for years before dementia ever set in!

But she was sweet and charming and had loved each of us so much that it didn’t matter what she called us or how she acted, like you, we just wanted her happy. Kudos to you for embracing those things and not standing between her and her son like some would…my hat is off to you!

Dealing with dementia is a challenge and I used to try to laugh, whenever possible, at some of the things my mom came up with, because there were times when I got home, after she was placed in a care facility, and just wanted to cry about the waste of it all. Sending you good thoughts to get through each difficult day.

I agree with previous posters about one dish meals like this one. Easy to put together and both tasty and filling.

I don’t know if you are experiencing this my friend, but the weather in Sydney has suddenly changed from boiling hot to pleasantly chilly! I think your chicken and chorizo dish could not come at a better time 🙂
Warming and perfect for a comfy evening in!

I love the photo of Charlie and Cathy’s grandson playing in the pool – what great entertainment for both of them. And what a story – so much going on! The bit about the nail polish is very funny and I’m glad Joan found it funny and even remembered glueing her fingers together. What a great dish – plenty of flavour there xx

Thank you for such an honest post, Maureen. I completely understand laughter as a way to deal with some of the most difficult situations. I like how you said that she would laugh too if her mind were clear.

I’ve been eyeing this chicken and chorizo dish too, btw. It looks just delicious!

Without laughter, I don’t think many of us would get through anything – sometimes it’s my saving grace, I know! Love this one-pot dish. Perfect for when I don’t feel like cooking but still crave something hearty and comforting!

So sad to end a life in this way, Maureen, and you are right, we do need to see the humour in things… it is a great coping mechanism. Loved this post… and the photo of Charlie with the little one in the water.

Im agree with you!! Without laughing we cant live!
Omy and the life is a mix of all!
I love hiw you talk abiut Jean! You arelovely.
I love these stories!
My mom is doing well but my dad sometimes make curious things!
Love this chickem look delicious!

I took care of a past landladies mother for about a year when she was in the mid to final stages of Alzheimer’s. it was by turns, heartbreaking and hilarious. She had also been a very independent woman so it was hard for her during the times she knew what was happening. It’s both a blessing and a curse when they no longer know much of anything. You’re right… it’s laugh, or spend your days in tears for the loss.

This dish looks like a perfect comfort food…. chicken and sausage of any kind go so well together!

Laughter keeps us sane. Glad you shared Joan’s story — I suspect many of us will face something similar, and it’s good to be aware of what to expect. And glad you shared this chicken and chorizo recipe, too! It’s good stuff — thanks.

Thank you for this post Maureen! I have some family that I need to send this too so they can better understand what the parents are going through. I’m sure it was hard for you to write, but we do appreciate it.

Chicken and chorizo sounds just downright awesome! It looks like Spanish chorizo am I right? We have Mexican chorizo around here which I’m sure would work just as heavenly in this dish. A great one pot meal!

I have to laugh at this. I’m no chorizo expert and in our smallish town at the end of the world, it said, “Chorizo” at the butcher shop and I said, “I’ll have one of those.” I suspect it’s Spanish because that would be the most common here – I think.

Maybe it is just that I am suffering a serious holiday hangover, but I feel positively cold since returning from Asia town last week. Upside, I am very much enjoying a hearty feed in the evenings, adding this bad boy into the mix. 🙂
Teehee… Bless Joan and the nail polish incident. Glad she remembered and was able to have a giggle about it.

I’m sorry someone scolded you for laughing. It is ESSENTIAL to laugh about these things. Both my grandmothers had dementia, and they had us rolling with the outrageous things that came out of their mouths. One of them took to cussing like a sailor when she’d NEVER sworn before. 🙂 I’m so glad you can laugh and I think you are so, so, so kind to love Joan the way you do. You’re my hero. XO

You are such a wonderful daughter-in-law. Joan is lucky that she still has a loving family to take care of her. It must be testament to the kind of woman she was when she was lucid.
Now that little man…. adorable!!! Chicken looks delicious too.

I would definitely laugh if someone was trying to put pants on with head stuck in the crotch!!

I love the combined flavours of chicken and chorizo. This looks like a really delicious recipe and I would imagine you will love Gordon Ramsay’s roast chicken with chorizo, sundried tomatoes and cannellini beans as stuffing. It’s one of our favourite roast chicken recipes.

Your story reminded me of a time my dear Mom and I laughed so hard together we nearly pee’d ourselves! Mom didn’t have dementia, she had a degenerative brain disorder that slowly took all her fine motor skills, eventually all of her talking, walking etc. This situation happened shortly after she moved into the nursing home, Mom had just been introduced to a care giver, everyone loved her and went out of their way to meet her. Mom always used word associations to remember things and this time was no different. Later that day when I visited I was rolling her around in the wheelchair and we bumped into the same care giver (at this point Mom was still able to talk but with great difficulty) although the experts said her mind would not suffer with the illness she did have some memory problems (as we all will in our late 60s) she was so annoyed with herself that she couldn’t recall the care giver’s name, even though her word association was “Pigeon”. She kept saying Pigeon, Pigeon, Pigeon and it took me quite some time to figure out WHAT she was saying. And I couldn’t for the life of me come up with a name that associates with a bird. Finally she blurts out “Dovey” but by then we were laughing so hard we were crying. I’ll never forget how my Mom used her sense of humour to deal with such a devastating illness. I just hope I will be that graceful if anything so hopeless happened to me.
This dish would be perfect for the weather we are experiencing here, cold and wet. Fortunately we haven’t had as much snow as last year but it’s been very cold. Chorizo sounds delicious with chicken and the colour of this dish is wonderful.

I’m sorry to hear about your mother in law. It sounds like you’re doing a great job of coping with a difficult situation. And, what a great-looking chicken dish! This would be a welcome dish to come home to any day.

I can’t tell you how much of this reminded me of my partner’s mother (also a teacher). She still is mostly aware of everything, but I do suspect she may be at the beginning of so much that you describe here. Thanks for making me understand and even feel a bit at peace with what may come. GREG

Oh my goodness! I am ooogling over that cute gif or your baby and dog. Too precious!
And this recipe looks super delicious too. This will be a nice meal to make once my tomatoes in my garden grow this summer.

Great recipe, thanks Maureen. I love anything that cooks in one pan or, as I would use in the case of this, a big oven tray.
I’m sorry to hear that someone chided you about laughing at Joan – they had no right to judge you for how you cope with such a stressful situation. I used to work with dementia patients and some days laughter is all that will get you through.

I almost suggested that we might be related by the similar experiences we seem to have and have had, Maureen. But my logical self is well-aware that the Big A is more prevalent in this world than ever before. (As are hubbies rushed to emergency.) My mom was a two-time semi-finalist at Wimbledon…She practiced her skills on public courts…She too was a fighter…Today the smart lady who used to constantly correct my grammar and French has all but disappeared. She still can walk very well and she recognizes that a daughter is by her side…Sorry to wax on, Maureen…

Think I’d better whip up your spicy chorizo and chicken and remember to laugh at life’s follies…You are absolutely right to laugh, Maureen. It beats the alternative!

As I say all the time, ‘it is what it is’ and wishing and hoping won’t change it. We do the best we can to make her last years bearable. She always said, “If that happens to me, please snuff me with a pillow.” Could never do that.

Cook it loud and proud – you are so funny! And I think you must be a pretty terrific daughter-in-law. Love your stories, all of them! I could really enjoy some of that chicken casserole too. Love the char on the veges!

I think I’m no different than anyone else. I can’t believe that anyone wouldn’t look after a family member suffering dementia. It’s not easy but then it’s no more difficult than having a job and raising a busy family. 🙂

my grandmother too suffered from dementia and it was heartbreaking to watch her go through it but it brings joy to my heart thinking of the things that made her so darn happy during that difficult time. It was the littlest things that put a smile on her face:) Thanks for sharing your story. I love that chorizo and chicken dish. IT looks hearty and delicious

When we saw your recipe from your comment, we couldn’t resist checking out how this looks! Such a flavourful combination – chicken and chorizo! What one lacks, the other gives and vice versa…Love the balance xx

I know it’s tough Maureen seeing someone you love suffer with dementia but you take the bright side and you are always there for Joan which is a credit to you. Thanks for sharing that story, it made me smile, a sad smile, but I do understand. It is times liek this that you need a quick go to meal and chicken with chorizo are some of my favourite flavours. This is a wonderful dinner for busy people. Keep enjoying your visitors as much as your dog is doing 😀

Like you say, it is what it is. And you have to be able to laugh along too – good times and bad. Luckily my folks are in robust health and I’m so thankful they are only dealing with a few aches and pains. It sounds like Joan would be the first to laugh at her antics in any case.
I a sucker for a one pot dish – this one is packed full of flavour and sunshine too. Glad you took the lid off those crusty bits are the ones we fight over!

Laughter often is the best medicine – and sometimes the only way to deal with impossibly difficult situations. Gosh your chicken and chorizo dish sounds amazing. I just showed my hubby and he’s informed me that we MUST have it this week!!!

That looks like a satisfying dinner idea Maureen.
I can’t image what you have been going through all together with Joan’s age. Imagine working all your live in collecting knowledge just to catch yourself forgetting more and more every single day in age, it’s sad. I do get your approach and after all smiling and trying to create a fun atmosphere is important. You can’t just be sad right?! I mean it’s bad what is happening to her but it could be worse.

Maureen, you might as well laugh if you can; there’s nothing to be done about it! Alzheimer’s and other dementias are simply frightful. Love the look of this chicken dish. Of course, you had me at “full of flavor and not a lot of work!”

Maureen, you might as well laugh if you can; there’s nothing to be done about it! Alzheimer’s and other dementias are simply frightful. Love the look of this chicken dish. Of course, you had me at “full of flavor and not a lot of work!”

Your story is quite poignant. You know what’s really interesting for me is that my mom is a dietitian and at one point she was working in a nursing home. One summer I decided to volunteer there, and one day I was asked to look after the floor 2 patients – patients with mild dementia / alzheimer’s. I remember so strikingly the one lady I was talking to asked for her nails to get painted. Well I would start painting her nails but then she would get distracted. And over and over again she would keep asking for her nails to get painted. I thought it was so interesting that you also have a story about forgetting nails were painted!

Alzheimer’s and dementia are truly awful diseases. One of my professors argued that they are two of the most famous diseases where the caregivers suffer more than the patients themselves.

This dish looks amazing! I love love love chicken and chorizo. Chorizo’s got SO much flavor!

I think your professor is right, although I have been able to distance myself from that. I don’t allow her situation to affect my day. Not sure if that’s good or bad but if I were sad all the time it wouldn’t help either of us. 🙂

Maureen – my heart is heavy after reading your post about Joan – I agree, laughter sometimes is the best way to cope in certain situations – and I couldn’t help but smile at reading about the nail polish incident!
My dad too had dimentia – but it was brought on by his failing heart – supposedly, the heart cuts off blood supply to certain areas in order to keep itself going. I learned the hard way not to ask him what he had for breakfast – just bring him something he could enjoy with me then.
This one pot chorizo and chicken sounds wonderful, btw!

It is a very nasty disease, and it makes me so sad. Your story reminded me of my husband’s grandfather who was a psychologist and a writer and above all a very open minded man in an era where women hardly got education in Egypt. He was always criticized for his liberated ideas and theories, sadly he got this diseases to the extent that he could not distinguish day from night, and it was so sad for my hubby who considered him his mentor. Anyways I guess we should look at the bright side at least they do not suffer from a deadly disease like cancer or so. Thanks for sharing the story although it made me unable to enjoy your recipe :(. I’ll visit again to read more about the recipe wihch looks so appealing.

What a great story Maureen ! My husband’s grandmother is suffering to demencia as well! Sometime we laugh and sometimes is sad but is life !
The photo with Charlie and the little boy is just so cute!
Love the chorizo, I’m spanish and I do a recipe very similar to this one! Love it 🙂

Maureen – the recipe looks delicious! I know my husband would love the combo of spicy sausage and chicken. On another note, sad to hear about your MIL but I think it’s good to keep it light and laugh if/when you can. It is a devastating disease isn’t it? I just read the book “Still Alice” and I think the movie is coming out in the US soon. And on the third note, I just saw your rank on the Best Blogs link on your site – Wowww! Congrats – well deserved!!

You tackle dementia with such good humor and understanding Maureen, Joan is lucky to have you in her life. Also this chicken and chorizo looks GREAT, it’s got so many good spices and flavors in it I bet it tastes divine.

I can read on for hours what you have to write about Joan Maureen……your words are beautiful, etched with a love that a genuinely caring person can create. Thank you for sharing these beautiful little pieces of your life with your Ma in law. It’s inspiring.The chorizo and chicken looks fab.

Maureen, I laugh and cry right along with you! My mother is starting to show signs of dementia and still lives at home independently with my father of 90 years of age. They are so proud of their independence. So, we work with them to keep things as normal for them as possible but we know it will be only a matter of time we will need an in home sitter or a facility. Hugs to your and your warm heart and love. I love Nagi’s recipe and it looks like a winner and like that you calmed down the heat as this would be a great make a head recipe. Sharing your story of course! Take Care, BAM

Maureen, thank you for sharing Joan’s story. I think just about everyone’s life has been touched by dementia/Alzheimers in some form or fashion. My best friend just lost her mother after a long 7 year battle with the disease! She always said finding the humor in some of the small things were what kept her going. The often silent caregivers are truly amazing!
You have done an extraordinary job with recreating Nagi’s wonderful chorizo recipe and really making it your own. Lovely photos as well!

This reminds me so much of Amy, my Great Aunt. Dementia does horrible things to a person. Also, funny stuff. Like your other readers, I think you do a wonderful job of capturing all of it in your posts. Thanks for that!

You’re a great writer, and that story was very touching. It must be so hard watching a person change from dementia, but some healthy laughter is always a good thing. Besides, you’re not laughing AT her, just admitting that some situations are funny. Heck, I still laugh at myself about the time I completely krazy glued my fingers together… and my fiance laughs at me when I put on underwear inside out (happens way more than it really should to a grown person, ugh)… not that different from the pants and nail polish stories, eh?

This chicken chorizo dish sounds good. I made a chorizo/butternut squash/brussel sprouts casserole once (similar to how you made this), and it was so good. My fiance called it mumbo jumbo and the name stuck. I should make something like this again soon!